Marian Walkingstick of the California Mission tribe weaves baskets in the tradition of her ancestors by first reaping yucca, reeds and other plants from ancestral lands in the Cleveland National Forest. Whether you gather or purchase your materials, Marian's techniques and advice will enable you to construct a unique, interesting and personalized woven basket. Materials:
Reeds
Water
Container for water
- Gather or purchase reeds.
- Cut 12 No. 1 reeds 18 inches long and soak them in water for a few minutes. Do not over-soak.
- Lay six reeds across from each other, left over right, and lay a weaving reed across the uppermost group of six reeds in the 11 o'clock position (figure A).
- Weave in groups of six for three rows, starting with an over-and-under weave (figure B).
- Take two groups of three and the rest in groups of two, and continue working in an over-and-under weave (randing) for nine rows (figure C).
- Start turning your basket up by making your weave a little tighter. Cut one reed from each of the groups of three so that you have only groups of two, and continue weaving until you have a small basket. Leave enough reed unwoven to turn down at the top of the basket (figure D)
- Measure the length of loop desired, and trim the reed to this length.
- Bend each reed (groups of two) in front of two reeds and to the back of the next two reeds (figure E).
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